Globalization and the Problems and Prospects of Teaching and Learning of Yoruba as a Second Language (L 2

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1 Globalization and the Problems and Prospects of Teaching and Learning of Yoruba as a Second Language (L 2 ) in Colleges of Education in Nigeria Oyewole Arohunmolase Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo Nigeria Introduction The teaching and learning of Yoruba as a second language in Nigeria and as a foreign language in Britain, United States of America (USA), Germany, and many other countries all over Europe and the world has extended the frontiers of knowledge in the teaching and learning of Yoruba language. Many people in Nigeria and in the above named countries all over the world are interested in knowing the spoken form of Yoruba, its literature, and its culture. The Federal Government in Nigeria s policy on the teaching and learning of Yoruba L 2 in Colleges of Education is to see that people in Nigeria live in unity and harmony as one indivisible, indissoluble, democratic, and sovereign nationals founded on the principles of freedom, equality, and justice with other ethnic groups. Government also, in the National Policy on Education (NPE), Stresses the importance of Language as a means of promoting social interaction and national cohesion; and presenting cultures. Therefore, every child in Nigeria shall learn the language of the immediate environment. Furthermore, in the interest of national unity it is expedient that every child shall be required to learn ONE of the THREE Major Nigerian Languages; Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba (NPE1998: 8). This view of every child being required to learn one of Hausa, Igbo, or Yoruba is a laudable policy statement by the government in its efforts to see that, these languages are taught and learnt as second languages in Nigeria (NL 2 ). This paper examines the global approach to the teaching and learning of Yoruba as a second language (L 2 ) in Colleges of Education in and the problems and prospects of the teaching of this language as L 2 in Nigeria. The National Policy on the Teaching and Learning of Yoruba as a Second Language (L 2 ) in Nigeria In order to implement the Language Policy of the teaching and the learning of Yoruba as a second language (L 2 ), the Federal Government of Nigeria made it mandatory that, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba should be taught in all the Federal Government Colleges also called Unity Schools. States were also mandated to implement the NL 2 Policy. The Federal Government with the establishment of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) in 1989 directed the NCCE to mandate all Colleges of Education in Nigeria to start the teaching and learning of Yoruba as a second language. Globalization and the Growth in the Teaching and the Learning of Yoruba as a Second Language in Colleges of Education in Nigeria All the Federal Government Colleges and Federal Colleges of Education and some States Secondary Schools, and some of their Colleges of Education employ teachers to teach Yoruba L 2 in their Junior Secondary Schools. The National Board for Educational Measurement (NBEM), now, the National Examinations Council (NECO), examines candidates in Yoruba L 2 for Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (JSSCE). Graduates from the Colleges of Education are employed to teach Yoruba as a 2006 Oyewole Arohunmolase. Selected Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, ed. Olaoba F. Arasanyin and Michael A. Pemberton, Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.

2 130 second language in our Secondary Schools. Globalization and the growth and the spread in the teaching and the learning of Yoruba as L 2 in our Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) and the Colleges of Education in Nigeria helps in creating a sort of consciousness that will help in creating awareness and in strengthening the desired national unity in Nigeria. Many Yoruba First Language (L 1 ) teachers are recruited to teach Yoruba L 2 in the Federal Government Colleges, States Secondary Schools, Federal Colleges of Education, and States Colleges of Education in non- Yoruba Speaking States in Nigeria in Europe, Britain, and United States of America among others. These teachers mix freely with the indigenes of the States where they are posted or employed. According to Arohunmolase (2000), quoting Elugbe (1990), Linguistic diversity is one of the betterknown attributes in Nigeria. Ethnic divisions are also based on linguistic lines, which is to say that, the existence of many languages in Nigeria means the existence of many basically distinct ethnic nationalities trying to form a nation. The global growth, spread, and the development of the teaching and the learning of Yoruba as a Foreign Language in the United States of America (USA), Great Britain, Ireland, South America (Brazil and other places), Germany, and all over Europe among others, has helped in no small measure in encouraging many people to study Yoruba L 2 in Colleges of Education in Nigeria. These people know that, there is employment opportunities open to them after their graduation, in countries all over the world. Globalization, a recent occurrence that affects the economic, social, political and cultural changes all over the world has also affected the teaching and learning of Yoruba L 2 in our Colleges of Education in Nigeria. Yoruba L 2 teachers with the development of modern information and communication technology (ICT) in the world and the links among societies, and how they work together as parts of an interrelated world system can improve their knowledge of Yoruba L 2 in the Web-sites in the Internet by browsing. Prospects of the Teaching and Learning of Yoruba L 2 According to Elugbe (1990), the problem of multilingualism in the developing nations such as Nigeria, and in the independent nations has been tackled by scholars such as Fishman and the others (1968). Arohunmolase (1998), is of the opinion that, we can use the linguistic, historical, and the cultural evidences in Nigerian languages for our desired national development and unity. If pupils/students in our primary/ secondary schools, Colleges of Education, and Universities are appropriately taught Yoruba as a second language (L 2 ) they would know all the things that unite Yoruba language with other Nigerian languages, socially, culturally, linguistically, and historically. It will also enable Yoruba and other language scholars to be able to exploit the ancestral ties among Nigerian languages so as to show Nigerians that they have a common history. The NPE (1977,Revised 1981, 1989, 1998), emphasizes the importance of Nigerian languages in the education of a child as a means of preserving the culture of a people, and for national unity. This is a laudable policy of Nigerian Government. The Federal Government s idea of the language of the immediate community (LIC), in the NPE, is seen by us as a second language (L 2 ) to all those whose first language (L 1 ) or mother-tongue is not Yoruba and this policy is also in our view helping in the teaching and learning of Yoruba as a second language in the States like Lagos, where we have the bilingual Egun (Ogu) speakers in Badagry, Ogun, where we have non-yoruba speakers in Yewa Division of the State, Ondo, where we have the Izon speakers in Ese-Odo Local Government Council, Uro-Ahan speakers in Akoko North-West Local Government, Ukaan speakers (Iigau, Iisieu, Ikakun) in Akoko North-East Local Government. These named speakers learn Yoruba as a second language and they are all bilinguals. These people speak their languages and Yoruba as a second language. The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has developed Curricula named the Minimum Standards for Colleges of Education, for the teaching of Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba as second languages. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), has developed Curricula on Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba as second languages for the JSS to replace the former one that had so many problems. The Federal Government established the National Institute for Nigerian Languages, Aba, Abia State in order to help in the production of Nigerian languages L 2 teachers. Students who studied Yoruba as a second language are expected to go to the National Institute for Nigerian Languages(NINLAN), Aba, Abia State, for their Degree Courses in Yoruba as a second language.

3 131 The Envisaged Problems The NPE (1981) states that, Government s major purpose for the Pre-Primary Education is to develop the orthographies for many more Nigerian languages and to produce textbooks in Nigerian languages. For the Primary Education, Government will see to it that, the medium of instruction in the Primary Schools is initially the mother-tongue or the language of the immediate community (LIC), and for the Secondary Education, at the JSS level, the NPE provides that, in selecting TWO Nigerian languages, students should study the language of their own area in addition to any of the three main Nigerian languages, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, subject to the availability of teachers. (FRN, 1981) (Our emphasis). The NPE (1998:18) emphasizes the teaching and the learning of one Nigerian language other than that of the environment or the immediate community as L 2 at the JSS level. As we have shown above in this paper, Yoruba L 2 is not taught and learnt at the Pre-Primary and the Primary levels of Education in Nigeria. Yoruba L 2 is not also a subject taught at the Senior Secondary School (SSS) level of Education. The idea of not teaching Yoruba as a second language at the SSS level of Education show that the Colleges of Education admit people who are not taught Yoruba as a second language at the SSS Level. As has been rightly observed by Arohunmolase (2000), Yoruba L 2 should be taught and learnt from the Primary level of Education, which is the bed-rock of education in Nigeria. The Federal Government of Nigeria also states in the NPE (1981), that, students at the JSS level should study any of Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba, subject to the availability of teachers. The clause, Subject to the availability of teachers, is non-committal as regards the full implementation of the teaching and learning of Yoruba L 2 at the JSS level of Education and at the SSS level to our Colleges of Education. It is observed that, most of the Yoruba L 2 teachers in the JSS classes and in the Colleges of Education are all trained as Yoruba L 1 teachers. Very few teachers who are trained Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) Yoruba L 1, teach Yoruba L 2 at the JSS level of education in Nigeria. The problem of even Yoruba L 1 producing adequate number of teachers to teach Yoruba, as L 1 is one of the problems for non-implementation of the Language Provisions of the NPE by the Federal Government. Junaidu and Ihebuzor (1993) point to the fact that, the problem of the supply of teachers in Nigerian languages represents one of the greatest problems facing the Curriculum development efforts in Nigeria. The introduction of Nigerian languages (Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba), as L 2 at the JSS level and the Colleges of Education worsened the compounded problem of the supply of trained teachers. It is a matter of great regret that, adequate plans were not made for the supply of teachers before the Federal Government decided to implement the Nigerian languages policy in the Colleges of Education. The NPE has no policy statement on the teaching and learning of Yoruba as a second language in Colleges of Education. The Federal Government should redesign the NPE to include the teaching and learning of Yoruba as a second language in our Colleges of Education. The National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Aba, Abia State, Nigeria, established by the Federal Government to train teachers of Nigerian languages as L 2 (NL 2 ) since 1993 has not up till now admitted any candidate. The conventional Universities in Nigeria are not producing NL 2 teachers. All the enumerated views will hinder the effective teaching and learning of Yoruba as a second language in our Colleges of Education. There are no adequate textbooks for the teaching and the learning of Yoruba L 2 in our JSS classes and in the Colleges of Education. Conclusion This paper examines globalization and the problems and prospects of the teaching and learning of Yoruba as a second language (L 2 ) in our Colleges of Education in Nigeria. It is observed that the development and the spread all over the world of the teaching and learning of Yoruba as a Foreign language has also helped in the development and in the teaching and learning of Yoruba L 2 in Colleges of Education in Nigeria. The Federal Government in our view should introduce the teaching and learning of Yoruba L 2 from the Primary level of Education to the University level. All subjects taught in our Secondary Schools (JSSI-III, SSSI-III), Colleges of Education, and the Universities are introduced from the Primary School,

4 132 which is the bed-rock of Nigerian Education. The Federal Government should adequately fund the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), Sheda, Abuja so that, NERDC can develop Yoruba L 2 Curriculum, produce textbooks on Yoruba L 2. The National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Aba, Abia State, should be mandated and well funded to start Degree Courses in Nigerian languages as second languages (NL 2 ) so as to help in the production of teachers to teach Yoruba as a second language in our Colleges of Education in Nigeria. United Nations Educational, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has been helping immensely in the development of Nigerian languages. Apart from the major Nigerian languages, UNESCO is helping in sponsoring Researches and the documentation of Endangered Nigerian Languages. This author and four others are being sponsored by UNESCO to research and document the Endangered and nearly Extinct Ukaan Group of Languages in Nigeria. References Arohunmolase, Oyewole Exploiting Linguistic, Historical, and Cultural Evidences in Nigerian Languages for our Desired National Unity. In Arohunmolase, Oyewole (ed), Arohunmolase, Oyewole Nigerian Languages for National Development and Unity. Ibadan: Lolyem Communications. Arohunmolase, Oyewole Introducing Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba as Second Languages In Primary School Curriculum. In Akindehin, O. and Adeboyeje, Reuben, A. (eds.), Challenges of The Third Millennium for Primary Education in Nigeria, Readings in Nigeria, Readings and Research on Schooling. Akure: ONWARD PRINTERS. Elugbe, Ben. O National Language and National Development. In Emenanjo, E. Nolue (ed.) Emenanjo, E. Nolue Multilingualism, Minority Languages, and Language Policy in Nigeria. Agbor: Central Books Ltd. Junaidu, I.. and Ihebuzor, Noel Developing Curricula: Nigerian Languages. In Ivowi, U.M.O. (ed.) Ivowi, U.M.O Curriculum Development in Nigeria. Ibadan: Sam Bookman Educational and Communication Services. Federal Republic of Nigeria National Policy on Education. Lagos: NERDC Press. Federal Republic of Nigeria Revised. National Policy on Education. Lagos: NERDC Press. Federal Republic of Nigeria Revised. National Policy on Education Lagos: NERDC Press. Federal Republic of Nigeria Revised. National Policy on Education, Lagos: NERDC Press.

5 Selected Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference on African Linguistics: Shifting the Center of Africanism in Language Politics and Economic Globalization edited by Olaoba F. Arasanyin and Michael A. Pemberton Cascadilla Proceedings Project Somerville, MA 2006 Copyright information Selected Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference on African Linguistics: Shifting the Center of Africanism in Language Politics and Economic Globalization 2006 Cascadilla Proceedings Project, Somerville, MA. All rights reserved ISBN library binding A copyright notice for each paper is located at the bottom of the first page of the paper. Reprints for course packs can be authorized by Cascadilla Proceedings Project. Ordering information Orders for the library binding edition are handled by Cascadilla Press. To place an order, go to or contact: Cascadilla Press, P.O. Box , Somerville, MA 02144, USA phone: , fax: , sales@cascadilla.com Web access and citation information This entire proceedings can also be viewed on the web at Each paper has a unique document # which can be added to citations to facilitate access. The document # should not replace the full citation. This paper can be cited as: Arohunmolase, Oyewole Globalization and the Problems and Prospects of Teaching and Learning of Yoruba as a Second Language (L 2 ) in Colleges of Education in Nigeria. In Selected Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, ed. Olaoba F. Arasanyin and Michael A. Pemberton, Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project. or: Arohunmolase, Oyewole Globalization and the Problems and Prospects of Teaching and Learning of Yoruba as a Second Language (L 2 ) in Colleges of Education in Nigeria. In Selected Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference on African Linguistics, ed. Olaoba F. Arasanyin and Michael A. Pemberton, Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project. document #1416.